Biocontrol bites biocontrol: potential interference of the Brazilian peppertree biological control thrips Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) by Montandoniola confusa (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)
Abstract
Large-scale field releases of biological control agents to help manage the highly invasive Brazilian peppertree began in Jul 2019, with the first releases of the thrips Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) in southern Florida. Release sites were routinely monitored for agent establishment and impacts on the target weed. Within 5 mo, we noted a pirate bug, Montandoniola confusa Streito & Matocq (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), feeding on an adult P. ichini thrips in an outdoor garden plot. Interestingly, this pirate bug is itself a biological control agent introduced to control a confamilial thrips pest of ornamental Ficus (Moraceae) trees. Instances of pirate bug predation on P. ichini, both inside our rearing facility and at field sites, have continued and are detailed herein. The average number of thrips produced in our rearing facility was reduced in cages that had pirate bug invasions compared to cages free of pirate bugs. Considerations for the continued biological control efforts of Brazilian peppertree are discussed.
Resumen
Las liberaciones de campo a gran escala de agentes de control biológico para ayudar a controlar el agresivo invasor pimentero brasileño comenzaron en julio del 2019, con las primeras liberaciones de los trips Pseudophilothrips ichini (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) en el sur de la Florida. Se monitorearon de manera rutinaria los sitios de liberación para determinar el establecimiento del agente y los impactos sobre la maleza objetivo. Dentro de los 5 meses, notamos una chinche pirata, Montandoniola confusa Streito & Matocq (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), alimentándose de un adulto de P. ichini en una parcela de jardín al aire libre. Curiosamente, este insecto pirata es en sí mismo un agente de control biológico introducido para controlar una plaga de la misma familia de trips en árboles ornamentales de Ficus (Moraceae). Los casos de depredación de chinches piratas en P. ichini, tanto dentro de nuestras instalaciones de crianza como en los sitios de campo, han continuado y se detallan en este documento. El número promedio de trips producidos en nuestra instalación de crianza se redujo en las jaulas que tenían invasiones de chinches piratas en comparación con las jaulas libres de chinches piratas. Se discuten las consideraciones para continuar los esfuerzos de control biológico del pimentero brasileño.
Key Words: Gynaikothrips; pirate bug; predation; Schinus terebinthifolia
View this article in BioOne
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.
